1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to a lever connector requiring only small inserting and pulling force, which is adapted for use chiefly in mutually connecting wire harnesses for automobiles.
2. Related art
A conventionally known connector of this type is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. This connector using a spring is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Hei. 4-87169.
In the process of bringing an intermediately inserted condition of male and female connectors 101, 102 in FIG. 8 into a completely inserted condition thereof in FIG. 9, a lock projection 104 of a cam lever 103 that is pivotably arranged on the connector 102 first pushes a lock portion 108 down with a tapered engagement portion 105 of the lock projection 104 sliding over a tapered engagement portion 109 of the lock portion 108 in a lock arm 107 on the connector 101 side, and then reaches the bottom of the lock portion 108 while passing over the lock portion 108 upon complete insertion. As a result, both connectors are regularly retained as shown in FIG. 9.
If the cam lever 103 is in the lowered condition while both connectors 101, 102 are being engaged, movement of the connector 101 in a movement direction is blocked, thus not allowing the connector 101 to be further inserted.
To overcome this problem, the operator has to first manually return the cam lever 103 to the elevated initial position at the time of starting the engagement of both connectors 101, 102, and then insert the connector 101 into the connector 102 for temporary engagement, which is a cumbersome operation.
Therefore, to dispense with this cumbersome operation, the conventional lever connector is so designed that a coil spring 106 is additionally provided at the shaft portion of the cam lever 103 arranged on the connector 102 so that the cam lever 103 is urged to be erected at the initial position.
As described above, in the conventional art, the initial position of a retaining lever (the cam lever 103 in the aforementioned example) is strictly limited in the process of assembling the connector.
To permit easy operation, a mechanism such as a spring (the coil spring 106 in the aforementioned example) must be arranged to set the retaining lever to the limited initial position, which has made it difficult to achieve an inexpensive connector.